Safety-lock for acetylene-generators.



No. 716,4!9. Patented Doc. 23, I902.

W. 0. HUMAN.

SAFETY LOCK FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS.

Application filed m). 19, 1902.1 4 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

WITNEEEEE: INVENTEIR "m: nonms PETERS cc. wuo'ruu'ruu. WASHINGTON, n. c.

No. 7I6,4l9. I Patented Dan. 23. I902.

W. 0. HUMAN.

SAFETY LOCK FOR ACETYLENE GENERATORS.

:Application filed Feb. 19, 1902.1

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WILLIAM C. IIOMAN, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

SAFETY-LOCK FOR ACETYLEN E-G EN ERATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 716,419, dated December23, 1902. Application filed February 19, 1902. fierial No. 94,740. (Nomodel.)

To (tZZ whom it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM 0. 110mm, a citizen of the United States,residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven, State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Locks forAcetylene-Generators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to acetylene-generators,particularly to a safetyappliance therefor.

Theinventionis usefulchieflyin connection with portable generators andlamps; and its purpose is to provide a simple and effective lockingmeans to prevent a continued generation of gas in case the generator istipped over.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section and elevation of part of a lampwith the safety device attached. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of partof a lamp with the valves and attached parts locked. Fig. 3 is asectional view of the locking mechanism, showing the manner in which thelock is operated.

A is a carbid-chamber.

B is a water-reservoir.

C C are valves in the passage leading from the carbid-chamber to thewater-reservoir and by which the feed of the carbid is controlled. Thevalve C is operated by means of a collapsible gas-reservoir R, whichexpands under pressure and is contracted by means of a spring S or thelike. The particular construction and mode of operation of thecollapsible reservoir R is immaterial to this invention; but in theparticular form of generator shown I use such a collapsible chamber asis shown in my former patent, No. 688,951, of December 17, 1901.

D is a valve-stem.

E is a sleeve carried by the valve-stem and having the annular flanges FF, the lower one,F', being preferably cupped to form a ball' race toreceive a ball G.

H is a tube-like member surrounding the valve-stem D and its associatedparts and having perforations H therein, around which a suitable feltpacking H may be carried, which packing acts as a filter for the gaspassinginto the perforations and thence up through the tube H into thecollapsible gasreceiver R, by which the valve is controlled.

The tube H is provided at a. suitable point in its length with an offsetannular cavity I, which is at approximately the elevation of the spacebetween the flanges F F when the valve-stem D is raised to its uppermostposition. In this position the valve C completely closes the passagefrom the carbidchamber to the liquid-reservoir. If the generator istipped over when the valve is closed thus, it will be seen that the ballG will roll partially out of the space between the flanges F F and willproject partly into the annular cavity 1. In this position,of course,the gas generating elements cannot be brought together until the valvehas been moved back away from the valve-seat. As this would be extremelydangerous, since it might allow the water to run into the carbid-chamberand continue the generation of gas, possibly in undue quantities, theball G aforesaid serves as a key to lock the'sleeve E. Consequently thevalve-stem isheld in the fixed position in which the flange F liesadjacent to the annular cavity I, the ball assuming approximately theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The gas contained within thecollapsible gas-chamber can be consumed by the burner or may flow off;but this will not permit the valve to move as in the normal use of thegenerator, because of the position of the ball. l/Vhen the operatorobserves the unnatural condition of affairs, he restores the generatorto its proper upright position, as in Fig. 2, and then by means of thecontrolling-handle J, operating through a suitable lever L, he maymanually cause a sufficient expansion of the collapsible receiver toslightly elevate the valve-stem, whereupon the ball is released andbygravity drops into the channel of the flange F, in which position itceases to perform the function of a key ora lock between the valve-stemand the stationary tube H. The lamp may then resume its normal func:tions. This safety feature may be applied in a variety of ways, and itshould therefore be understood that I contemplate that a variety ofmodifications and changes may be made by the mechanic skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit or scope of my invention, which is,broadly, to provide a locking device to prevent the further bringingtogether of the gas-generating elements in the event the generator istipped over or inclined at too great an angle. If the generator isoverturned when the carbid-valve is open, and consequently the flange Fsome distance below the cavity I, then the collapsible chamber on thenext expansion will lift the valve and allow the ball to fall into thelocking position.

What I claim is- 1. In an acetylene-generator, a safety-lock comprisingseparate chambers for holding the gas-generating elements, a passagefrom one to the other, a valve therefor, means for operating said valveand a gravity-controlled means to lock said valve when the generator istipped from the desired operative position.

2. In an acetylene-generator, a safety-lock comprising separate chambersfor holding the gas-generating elements, a passage from one to theother, a valve therefor, means for operating said valve and means tolock said valve when the generator is tipped from the desired operativeposition, said locking means comprising ball-retaining flanges, astationary tube and a ball adapted to coact therewith.

3. In an acetylene-generator, a safety-lock comprising separate chambersfor holding the gas-generating elements a-passage from one to the other,an automatic valve therefor, means for operating said valve and agravitycontrolled means to lock said valve when the generator-is tippedfrom its desired operative position.

4. In an acetylenegenerator, a safety-lock comprising separate chambersforholding the gas-generating elements, a passage from one to the other,a valve therefor, means for operating said valve and means to lock saidvalve when the generator is tipped from the desired operative position,said locking means comprising ball-retaining flanges, a stationary tubeand a ball adapted to coact therewith, said flanges being carried bysaid valve so that when said ball is thrown into a groove in said tubesaid valve is locked.

5. A locking device for avalve comprising a valve-rod, a pair of flangescarried by said rod, a stationary tube having an enlargement therein indiameter, one of said flanges being adapted to form a ball-race, a balltherefor, the other of said flanges being adapted to coact With saidball when it is in the enlarged part of said stationary tube and lockthe valve.

6. A locking device for a valve comprising an automatically-operatedvalve-rod, a pair of flanges carried by said rod, a stationary tubehaving an enlargement therein in diameter, one of said flanges beingadapted to form aball-race, a ball therefor, the other of said flangesbeing adapted to coact with said ball when it is in the enlarged part ofvsaid stationary tube and lock the valve and thus prevent its automaticaction.

7. In an acetylene generator, separate chambers for holding thegas-generating ele-. ments, a passage from one to the other, a valvetherefor,and means operated by gravity to lock said valve.

8. In an acetylene-generator, a casing, a plurality of separate chambersfor holding the gas-generating elements, a passage between them, a valvetherefor, and means operated by gravity to lock said valve againstmovement when the generatoris tipped from the desired operative positionin combination with manually-controlled means projecting outside of thecasing and coacting with said WILLIAM C. HOMAN.

Witnesses:

W. L. BABCOOK, F. S. PARKER.

